What is the full form of CPU?

What is CPU?

CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. It is the most important part of a computer as it acts as a brain. CPU is a device in which all data processing is done in different parts. Communication can be established between input and output devices with the help of CPU. Besides data processing, the CPU also handles the tasks of input, output, and data storage. Installation of the CPU is done on sockets which are located on the motherboard.

History of CPU

Vacuum tubes were used in the earliest computers called ENIAC and UNIVAC. Vacuum tubes processed data but they made the computers very large and bulky and led to the generation of a lot of heat.

In the 1940s, transistors were invented which were used to replace vacuum tubes, and the size of computers was reduced. The usage of transistors made the CPUs energy efficient and more reliable.

Next comes the development of integrated circuits in the mid-1960s which further reduced the size of computers. Multiple transistors can be combined in the integrated circuits along with other components. This led to the development of microprocessors.

The development of microprocessors led to the development of personal computers. With these processors, 16 to 32-bit data could be used but later 64-bit CPUs were developed which increased the speed of data processing.

Features of CPU

Here we will discuss some of the advanced features of CPUs.

Cores

A core is a processing unit which can be found in the CPU. Previously single-core processors were used but now all the processors have multiple cores. Multiple cores can handle a lot of threads and this increases the performance.

Hyper-threading

Hyper-threading helps CPUs to handle multiple threads by each core. A physical core works as two virtual cores in an operating system. This helps the software applications to work more efficiently by using the available hardware.

Parts of CPU

A CPU has three parts which include

Memory Unit
Arithmetic Logic Unit
Control Unit

Let us discuss these parts in detail.

Memory Unit

Memory Unit is a part where instructions, data, and intermediate results are stored. Information can be transferred to other parts of the CPU by the memory unit. Other names for memory unit are

Internal storage unit
Main memory
Primary storage
Random Access Memory (RAM)

The performance and speed of a computer depend on the size of the memory.

Control Unit

The control unit is responsible for controlling all the things happening on a computer. It does not have the ability to perform any data operation. It uses electrical signals to control to instruct the computer. The instructions are given to the control unit by the memory unit The major task performed by this unit is to maintain the information flow all over the CPU.

Arithmetic Logic Unit

Arithmetic Logic Unit consists of two parts which are arithmetic unit and logic unit.

Arithmetic Unit

The arithmetic unit has the ability to perform all the mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and other similar functions. This section also performs complex operations by combining all these functions.
Logic Section

This is a section which performs logical functions which include comparison and matching along with merging the data.

How CPU works?

CPU is a device which accepts the input, processes it and provides output. Some of its functions are discussed here.

Fetch

CPU receives instructions in the form of binary numbers. These binary numbers are passed from the RAM to the CPU.

Decode

ALU decodes the instructions.

Execute

Instructions are ready for execution after decoding is completed by ALU.

Store

After execution data is ready to be stored in the memory unit.

Types of CPU

CPU is of three types and they are discussed here −

Single-Core CPU

Single-Core CPU is the oldest CPU which was developed in the 1970s. Different operations are performed by the single core. As the processor has only one core it can process one instruction at a time. Multitasking cannot be done by these processors

Dual-Core CPU

A single integrated circuit with two cores is available in this type of processor. Both cores consist of a controller and cache and both of them work as a single. Unit. The processing speed of dual-core processors is more than their single-core counterparts.

Quad-Core CPU

There are two dial-core processors in the quad-core processor. These dual-core processors are present in a single integrated unit. A chip with four independent cores is present in this processor. The task of these cores is to read instructions and execute them at a fast speed. Its working speed is higher than the other two CPUs.

Difference between GPU and CPU

CPU and GPU are processing units but there are a few differences which can be found in the table below −

Aspect	CPU	GPU
Full form	Central Processing Unit	Graphics Processing Unit
Memory consumption	Consumes more memory comparatively	Consumes less memory comparatively
Speed	Less speed	More speed
Cores	Minute and powerful	Weak cores
Instruction processing	Serial instruction processing	Parallel instruction processing
Processing functions	Handles main processing functions	Handles graphic and video rendering
Number of tasks	Processes one big task at a time	Processes many smaller tasks at a time
Clock frequency	2-3 GHz	1 GHz

Conclusion

CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. It is considered as the brain of a computer as all instructions are processed here. There are three types of processors which include a single core, dual core, and quad core. The Memory Unit, Arithmetic Logic Unit, and Control Unit are parts of the CPU.